How Long Do Coffee Beans Last?
It doesn’t matter what type of coffee you brew, you'll want to get the best out of your coffee beans.
This can be done by practising your brew technique or maybe filtering your brew water.
It’s also important to use the freshest possible coffee beans which are optimal for brewing.
This of course begs the question, how long do coffee beans last?
Hold your horses and let’s dive in
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Factors affecting how long coffee beans last.
Before explaining exactly how long coffee beans last for, let’s just take a look at what affects the shelf life of coffee beans and a few pointers that may be a reason for the freshness of your coffee.
Roast Level has an influence on how long your coffee beans last.
The roasting process consists of heating raw coffee beans at a high temperature for a period of time (with many other factors thrown in).
The amount of time that the coffee is roasted dictates the roast profile of the coffee and we generally describe coffee as light, medium or dark roast.
Light roast coffee beans last longer than dark roasted (or over roasted coffee beans). This is because CO2 is escaping from light roasted coffee at a lower rate compared to darker roast coffee the lack of CO2 contributes to the decline in freshness of coffee
Oxygen is coffee's worst nightmare. As soon as coffee beans are in contact with oxygen the complex compounds begin to break down.
So coffee bean storage is a big factor in the length that coffee beans last. I recommend keeping your coffee in its packaging as long as possible (as long as it’s airtight) when opened, transfer to a coffee storage container or leave in the original packaging if it has an airtight seal.
How Long Do Coffee Beans Last?
Let’s explore how long three forms of coffee beans last. Firstly…
Green coffee beans
Green coffee beans otherwise known as raw coffee are purchased by coffee roasters by the kilo. They usually arrive at the coffee roastery in large hessian sacks with a plastic protective layer underneath. Green beans last much longer than they’re roasted counterparts.
Most green coffee beans that are ready to be roasted in specialty coffee roasteries are between 3 months to 9 months old. Green coffee beans can last over a year and beyond though and many roasters choose to purchase aged beans.
Roasted coffee beans
Roasted coffee beans have a much shorter lifespan.
First of all, if you are purchasing coffee beans that are freshly roasted, be sure to let them rest for a minimum of 5 days (this allows the CO2 to escape and the coffee's nuances become more pronounced).
Depending on the type of coffee and the roast profile coffee can last up to 2 months before declining in flavour. After the amount of time the coffee beans are still ok to consume but the flavours of the coffee beans will gradually subside.
Keeping coffee beans fresh is of course paramount as this timeframe will significantly decrease if the coffee beans are not in an airtight container.
Ground coffee
Ground coffee has an even shorter shelf life than whole beans. In fact as soon as the coffee is ground it starts to depreciate in quality. This is because the surface area of the coffee grounds is much larger so the oxygen breaks down the compounds quicker.
The finer the ground (for example espresso grind) the quicker the decline in flavour. I would recommend consuming the coffee as quickly as possible once it is ground. It is hard to put a number on shelf life for pre ground coffee as the quality is constantly declining but I would recommend consuming pre-ground coffee within 30 days of the roast.
How to tell your coffee beans have gone off.
Here are three signs that your coffee has gone off:
Sight. Take a look at the coffee beans and provided you purchased specialty coffee there should be very little (if any) oily surfaces. As coffee beans age the oil trapped inside the bean escapes onto the surface.
Smell. If the coffee smells overly bitter or flat then there is a good chance that the coffee beans have gone off. This is not always the case as the aroma of the coffee may have a bitter-like smell or be incredibly subtle at its optimal point.
Taste. This is the easiest way to spot whether your coffee beans have gone off (but of course you need to brew the coffee first). After a certain amount of time coffee bean oxidation has taken place which produces bitterness or sourness in the cup.
The coffee may also taste really flat and have no profile which is another sign of stale coffee beans.
How to extend your coffee beans shelf life.
If you’re looking to get the very best out of your coffee then by following a couple of easy steps to preserve coffee bean freshness can really make a difference.
Firstly make sure you store your coffee beans in an airtight coffee container whether this be the original package or a specialised storage can.
Secondly, keep the coffee in a cool and dry place out of direct sunlight. If you want to go one step further (this applies to people who buy their coffee in large quantities) divide your coffee into different airtight containers and open one at a time to minimise oxidation of coffee beans.
Always buy whole coffee beans. This of course will then entail you purchase a grinder, but there is no comparison to freshly ground coffee and as I explained above ground coffee starts to depreciate in quality the second it is ground.
Freezing your coffee is something that can be done to preserve the coffee for large periods of time. For the best results the coffee needs to be airtight and vacuumed in a deep freeze. But be aware that you may still lose many of the flavours.
Final Thoughts
Coffee beans can last for a decent amount of time if you take a few simple steps to preserve the freshness of your coffee. I recommend buying small amounts of coffee (enough for 2 weeks) at once, obviously from your local coffee roaster. If you have taken a step into the specialty coffee world and now you can’t look back then maximising your coffee's freshness will only raise your coffee game.
FAQs
How can I ensure the best coffee bean preservation?
Always store your coffee beans in airtight containers in a cool, dry and dark place.
Why is my ground coffee shelf life shorter than whole beans?
When coffee beans are ground the overall surface area of the coffee becomes much larger and therefore more of the surface is in contact with oxygen, which is coffee's worst nightmare. Coffee oxidation breaks down the complex compounds which in turn shortens the shelf life of ground coffee.
What are the signs of coffee bean oxidation?
Take a look for oily surfaces of the coffee beans, a bitter or flat aroma and a sour, bitter or flat flavour profile.
Does coffee bean packaging impact its freshness?
Coffee bean packaging significantly impacts the freshness of the coffee. Be aware of any coffee that is not sold in airtight containers as more than likely it will be low quality.
Does the roast level (light, medium, dark) influence the freshness of coffee beans?
The lighter the roast the longer the coffee will stay fresh for. However during the optimal time to consume any coffee beans the roast profile will not impact the freshness.
Can stale coffee beans become unsafe to consume?
If you have really old coffee beans that are over 2 years old they may have started to grow mould. As the coffee beans have a low moisture content this process does take a long time. I personally would not like to consume coffee that is 2 years post roast, however I don’t believe that they’d be unsafe to consume, just unenjoyable.
